Bi-valve shellfish (mollusks) have a two shell structure with an edible portion between the shells. Common varieties include clams, oysters, mussels, and scallops. The shells are held together by at least one adductor muscle. For instance, clams have two adductor muscles, i.e., one on either side, to keep the shells closed.
Manual means for “hand shucking” bi-valve shellfish are well known in the art. For example, a knife may be inserted in between the shells to cut the adductor muscle(s) to open and remove the edible portion from the shells. This “hand shucking” technique requires a good amount of skill and strength and is often time consuming and expensive. The use of infrared energy to open shellfish has also been disclosed.
Due to the high demand for edible portions in a raw, uncooked state, it is desirous to develop improved methods and systems for shucking (i.e., detaching each adductor muscle from its shell) bi-valve shellfish, while minimizing any cooking of the shellfish.